Tag Archives: sage

April 12, 2026 · 4:12 pm

Herbs 101

 

 

Merry meet all,

I keep checking my seedling pots. The hardest part of growing herbs from seeds lies in having patience. I am not the most patient type, but when it comes to herbs, patience is mandatory. 

Today’s post will be all about herbs. When I’m out on a walk or checking the garden, I see signs of new growth everywhere – the crocuses popped up, the sage leaves have gone from grey to green and birds peck at the ground. I’m growing a pot of mint in the kitchen. New stems and leaves have emerged, arching toward the sun. 

Growing herbs is a great way to get to know the herbs. It helps in identifying herbs (if you’re anything like me and forget what you planted, lol), and learning to understand what they need. Obtain a spray bottle. Save the water you used to boil eggs in and pour that into the spray bottle, then mist your plants every so often. The water saved from boiling eggs in contains calcium and potassium, necessary natural fertilizers. Never drown the seedlings in a waterfall, mist them with water, especially when they are tiny and just growing their true leaves. Place them in a south-facing window so they receive the maximum amount of sunlight. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I ordered organic all-natural clary sage seeds from Strictly medicinal – (https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com/).  I sprinkled the clary sage seeds into the seedling pot and waited a week and a half. I’m growing chives, clary sage, spearmint and a few other seedlings have popped up, but I can’t identify what they are yet. I also added stinging nettle, catnip, basil, oregano, ashwagandha and borage to the pot of mint. I am short on space, but I have lots of enthusiasm to grow these herbs. I have to wait and see what comes up. My patience paid off though. Now I get to watch them grow. Spraying them with water lightly also greatly decreases the chances of the seedlings getting that annoying fungus in the soil. 

I’m growing catnip from seed in the mint pot because my cat can’t get up on the kitchen island. So the herbs can grow undeterred by a certain overly curious feline. 

Do not fertilize the seedlings heavily when they are growing their true leaves. Wait until the seedlings are about 6 to 8 inches tall and may be ready to potted up again or brought outdoors to the garden after the frost is gone. This is their most important growing phase right now when they get their true leaves. Herbs really take off after that. They can’t be dunked in water, pot overturned or neglected. They need all the care and attention they can get in their early stages. 

We often forget that herbs such as rosemary, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, sage, oregano, thyme, basil and chives originated in the warm Mediterranean climate. The above mentioned herbs are all part of the Lamiaceae family, the mint family. My mother’s rosemary plant is studded with the most beautiful blue blossoms, seated in the cool basement of her home. All her other plants are upstairs on the main floor. If she let the rosemary live up on the main floor during the winter, it would have dried out. My mint dried out, but now that it is spring, it has new growth. Since the mint plant is more established and growing in a deeper pot, I water it more thoroughly than I would my seedlings. Anyone serious about growing lovely, richly aromatic herbs has to get to know what herbs need. It can help to think about the type of climate the herbs originally had in the Mediterranean. I live in Atlantic Canada, which means they don’t get a longer, hot season and we have harsh winters here. But my Mom’s oregano, sage, lavender and thyme are true perennials and are growing back. 

Sage, oregano, basil, chives, mint, lavender, thyme and basil all need mostly full sun and moisture. Once it is warm enough to plant your herbs outdoors on a sunny deck or straight into the garden, make it a ritual. Pick a day when first, all chances of frost are gone and secondly, pick a dry, slightly windy day after the dew has dried. Bring your herbs outdoors. Bonus points if you are hardening them to the outdoor temperatures. You can always bring them in at night if you still feel it is too cold out. Gather all your tools, such as a trowel, a watering can, a gardening shovel and your organic fertilizer. You ARE using organic fertilizer, right? Dig a hole in the garden, remove the herb seedling from the pot, tear gently or tug the roots apart to encourage new and strong growth and place it in the hole. Add the fertilizer around the roots of the plant, then fill in with the soil. Water the seedling well and admire your seedling. Welcome it to the garden. Yes, you can talk to your plants. Ignore your nosy neighbors. Hold the seedling/s in your hands and feel its energy, and welcome it to the garden. Now let mama nature take care of the rest. Don’t crowd all the seedlings. Check the seed packet to know how much room herbs need from each other. 

Gypsum, fish emulsion and Gaia Green are all options for organic fertilizers. Never add harsh chemicals in any form, pesticides or insecticides to your garden. We need to help our plants grow. Insects are our unsung heroes. They do the hard work! Aphids trying to take over? Get ladybugs to eat them. Hang a bird feeder in your garden to feed  your avian friends, they will hunt rats, mice, voles and bugs in the garden. If you are really feeling ambitous, hang a bat house/ feeder. They eat tons of mosquitoes. Let nature fight nature. The best way to help pollinators, birds and bats who would be more than ready to keep pests down is to have healthy, natural soil. That means using no non organic fertilizers. Strong, healthy plants are able to defend themselves from predators and pests, too. 

Soil is vital. Organic soil is vital, composed of tiny, microscopic microbes – tiny bugs. Organic soil should be rich with nutrients and a good sign of organic soil is it will often contains tons of earthworms. When I would set new soil down in my garden when I lived on Crown Drive, I would work the soil in, then let the earthworms and beetles(!) aerate the soil. Earthworms are a good sign of good soil! Use compost and organic mulching methods and you will be rewarded with rich, nutrient soil just perfect for grow herbs in. Ask mother earth and father sky to bless your plants and/or your chosen deity to bless your plants. Add corresponding gemstones into the soil arranged about the base of the plants. 

My mom just accidentally knocked a pot of my baby seedlings to the floor. I was able to find my tiny seedlings and so I tucked them back into the soil. The roots were more established than I thought. The roots reached way down into the soil. Nature will never cease to amaze me. 

If you take all that care and reverence for the gifts that Mother Nature bestows upon us, whether that is a bee pollinating lavender, birds singing or dragonflies flitting from flower to flower, you will have beautiful and aromatic herbs in your garden. I hope these tips help you in your own gardening journey. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch )O(

Links to organic seed suppliers: 

Strictly Medicinal – https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com/

Annapolis Seeds – https://annapolisseeds.com/

 

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May 13, 2024 · 11:20 am

The Dos and Don’ts of Haunted Objects

Merry meet all,

I am so honoured to discover that my blog is included on the website 100 Best Paranormal Blogs and Websites! Wow! I am honoured. I mean this is awesome. Truly awesome. 

Today the sun’s shining hard but the cold wind lingers. That ruins my groove because I can’t wear certain tops, unless I have the equivalent of an eskimo parka on over it. Not sure why this cold wind is still here but I hope it leaves soon.

Today’s post is about how to deal with a haunted object. Enjoy!

The Dos and Don’ts of Dealing with a Haunted Object

Many people believe that objects can become Haunted. Whether you believe it or not, there are certain steps you should take if you think you have a Haunted object in your possession. In this blog post, we will go over what to do if you think an object is Haunted as well as how to remove a spirit from an object.

How Can a Spirit Become Attached to an Object?
There are two main ways that a spirit can become attached to an object: through attraction or through energy. The first instance is when the spirit is attracted to the object itself. This could be because of the material it is made out of, its color, or even its shape. The second instance is when the spirit becomes attached to the energy of the person who owns the object. This often happens with items that have been passed down through generations or have been owned by someone for a long time. The attachment can also happen if the owner was very emotional when they were using the item.

For example, if a person got very angry while using a particular tool, that tool could pick up on that anger and attract a spirit that is also angry. Or, if someone passed away while wearing a certain piece of jewelry, that jewelry could hold on to the energy of the person and their passing. There are many different circumstances in which a spirit can become attached to an object.

Can Objects Be Haunted?
The answer to this question is a little bit complicated. Technically speaking, no, an inanimate object cannot be haunted because it does not have a soul. However, what many people think of as “haunted” objects are actually just objects that have had a spirit attached to them at some point in time. So while an object cannot be haunted in and of itself, it can have all of the same symptoms as a haunted house would—things moving on their own, strange noises, etc.—because there is a spirit present.

Dos:

• If you think an object is Haunted, the first thing you should do is try to figure out why the spirit is attached to the object. This can be done by researching the history of the object or talking to a medium.

• Once you know why the spirit is attached to the object, you can try to help them move on. This can be done by holding a seance or by performing a cleansing ritual. • If you are successful in helping the spirit move on, be sure to bless the object so that it does not become Haunted again.

Don’ts:

• Do not attempt to remove a spirit from an object without knowing why they are attached to it. This can agitate the spirit and make them angry.

• Do not try to communicate with the spirit without the help of a professional medium. This can be dangerous as spirits can lash out if they feel threatened.

• Do not attempt to perform a cleansing ritual without first doing your research. Cleansing rituals can be dangerous if not performed correctly.

If you think you have a Haunted object in your possession, there are certain steps you should take. Do your research and try to figure out why the spirit is attached to the object. Once you know why they are attached, you can try to help them move on. If you are successful, be sure to blessed the object so that it does not become Haunted again. If you have any further questions or concerns, please consult with a professional medium.

Credit given to: https://paranormalacademy.co.uk/the-dos-and-donts-of-dealing-with-a-haunted-object/

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January 17, 2024 · 3:18 pm

My Dark Avenger- Dante the Doll

My new doll

Merry meet all,

I was gifted a new pair of winter boots. I am so happy and so are my feet. Living in Atlantic Canada, you need a comfortable truly insulating pair of winter boots.  I love them. I recently made myself a new doll. I made the doll, my dark avenger, because I am so tired of the pain and toxicity I encounter. It has been so bad it has changed me. But not for the worse, but rather for the better. It does no good to be naive but it doesn’t have to turn you into someone bitter or hateful, either. 

I love my doll and I have named him Dante. He is all black with two buttons for eyes and a black button for the nose. He has a red mouth, a grey and red cape, and I stuffed with specific herbs. The herbs are meant to protect me. The herbs are sage, wormwood, nettle, pine needles, High John the Conqueror, mandrake, oak bark and Devil’s Claw Root. I stirred the herbs in a bowl with a wooden spoon, empowering the herbs with protective energy to protect me. He smells good! His hair is made from purple yarn. Dante is a dashing little fellow. I created him with care. Dante sports a necklace of skulls and pentacles and he bears a protection rune on the front, on his chest. I want to add horns and a tail to Dante too. 

I just love how Dante turned out. He looks great and he makes me feel good each time I hold him or look at him. Dante will always watch over me and guard me. That is the intention I put into him. I found a pattern to make a poppet doll and just enlarged the pattern. Then I sewed him together with care and love. I like to take pride in the things I do. They turn out better and last longer. My other doll, Minerva will get to know Dante too. 

I am tired of the pain and hate and toxicity. I received a flash of inspiration and next thing I knew, since I am happiest when I am creative, I was sewing myself a doll. I am tired of being a sponge for all that. No one needs that. Ever since Covid, everything has gone to pot. I hope the world gets better. The doll will now protect me. He is my little friend who will make sure no one ever hurts me again. This does not mean I won’t have my moments or that I won’t ever encounter anything negative ever again, like I am not a god. I am human but it sure feels good now to have Dante around. 

Penny is a sweet munchkin. She probably tries to protect me too. She is always available for a cuddle, whether I am happy or sad. So let’s love our little avengers- dolls, cats or a dog, whatever you have near you that loves you. We know the world could use a lot more love. Let’s choose love!

Imbolc approaches! 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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May 12, 2023 · 12:33 pm

Gardening Rituals

Merry meet all,

The last two days I worked on my garden. I consider this to be an annual ritual. Working with soil is so therapeutic. 

I bought eight bags of soil and once at home, carried them to the backyard where my garden is. I let my cat get some nature telly at the back door. I usually buy some beer and treats. I enjoy the beer when I am done the ritual. 

I distributed the soil all over the garden. I had to toss out the lawn chair as it broke from the snow and cold. I tidied up the plant supports. I raked away most of the leaves. I do keep some leaves in the soil after the long winter. The leaves are like mulch or compost. I loved working on my garden. The wind was strong and cold but the sun warmed my back. I pulled out weeds and made sure that the perennials that come up every year received soil at their bases. The raspberry canes, lemon balm, sage, purple sage, mint, tiger lilies, Asiatic lilies, lovage, rhubarb, woodruff, hostess, ferns, lungwort, chives, and hasps are growing nicely. Seeing my garden emerge after a long winter cheers me up so much. 

I transplanted the raspberry canes to a new spot. I had to move them or they would take over the vegetable and herb patch. I am sure they are not happy with me. I gave them new soil and water. They will grow new roots and can grow as much as they want in their new spot. I made sure they still receive a lot of sunlight. 

I made my offering of milk, honey, fennel seeds and I sprinkled beer on the soil in the two patches of my garden. I have a shade spot and a big sun spot. I make offerings at each spot. This means the nature spirits will help me to grow the best garden ever! 

lungwort

I am growing mugwort indoors. The plants have grown three feet or more. I keep an eye out for frost warnings. I plan to move them out soon. I know mugwort is invasive but I want to grow it in the soil in the back of my vegetable, herb and flower patch. I am tired of growing it from seed every single spring. I don’t think it will do too much damage. Mugwort can grow up to six feet so it has to placed in the back of the garden. 

My other seedlings that are still growing under the grow light are doing well. They are growing so well, a little too well. I just stepped outside and it is so cold – the wind is so cold. There are no more frost warnings but the wind is cold. I will wait, I just keep the plants at the back door. The cold wind blows in when my cat gets nature telly. The light and the temperature is different in the kitchen. I could also put them out during the day and bring them in at night but that means they bring in bugs as well. 

I hope that cold wind goes away soon. It has to warm up so I can put my plants out. I will wait till the first week of June. It’s hard but they would not thrive. Patience is a virtue all gardeners must practice. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch )O(

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April 11, 2023 · 9:50 am

Flying ointment in the making )O(

Merry meet all,

I want to make  a flying ointment. I gathered a few herbs – mugwort, mandrake, wormwood, three bay leaves and three star anise, and garden sage. I mistakenly bought safflower oil, I wanted sunflower oil but it was organic and on sale. Safflower oil has a few health benefits such as it is anti inflammatory, help prevent blood clots, widen blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and stimulate the heart. That is good to know. I blended the herbs in a bowl. I measured how much sage, wormwood, mandrake and mugwort I wanted to use for the recipe before I added the herbs to the jar. I used 3 bay leaves, 3 anise, one tablespoon of mandrake as it does contain alkaloids, 2 tablespoons of wormwood, 1 cup of mugwort and 1 cup of garden sage. I blessed and empowered the herbs in the bowl. I had to measure how much of each herb I used to make sure I would not overdo it with the mandrake. The artemisias are safe to use for a flying ointment but even mugwort can poison you if you use it too much. I am growing mugwort from seed and I have a few potted mugworts growing beautifully at my kitchen windowsill and one in my bedroom. 

I put the herbs into the jar, making sure they blended well and filled the clean dry jar with the safflower oil. I topped the jar up with more oil, added a bit of natural waxed paper, then put the lid on. Now I store the jar with the tinctures I am also steeping. I will wait about 6-8 weeks before I strain it all and make the ointment. It is a long wait but I believe it is better to do it this way. I didn’t choose to use olive oil because while olive oil is good, it also has a strong scent. 

Mugwort in a pot

I have to use this carefully. Even though I used one tablespoon of mandrake, the herb has a notorious reputation for good reason. It is kith and kin to the Solanaceae family of plants, including tomatoes. I would recommend that if you try this, to do so with the most utmost caution. I have had the potion and salve for a long time yet I have hardly used it at all. I have to around to using it but I will. I also made lotion bars with the herbal oil but I will still use it cautiously. The poisonous plants can have a harrowing effect on a person’s health and well-being. Caution is advised. 

It is recommended that a person only use the salve or oil for a ritual purpose and then clears their schedule to rest after. Do not operate a forklift, or drive a car or handle a sharp kitchen knife. The overuse of mandrake can result in tingling or numbness in your extremities, delirium, hallucinations, dehydration, even death. That is why I caution anyone considering using it. 

When the frost is gone, the plants and many other plants will of course go out to my garden. I can’t wait. I love using herbs in potions. This year, I want to grow and make my own spices. I don’t trust GMO food. Growing my own organic spices such as cayenne, mustard, dill, chives, means I am in control and I know where they came from and what conditions they grew in. 

I support sustainable and organic gardening practices. I hope that you all do the same. I wish you the best of luck. I would love to read your comments here on your own gardening practices. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

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February 7, 2023 · 8:13 pm

Seeds of spring- Imbolc

Merry meet all,

Hello my lovely readers! Even though we are on the cusp of spring, winter lingers. Last night, the howling wind kept me up half the night. 

I have a lot on my mind right now. My grandmother is not well. She has to be moved to the city and that means uprooting her. I hope it all works out smoothly. I am very worried about her. My grandmother is in her nineties but is in otherwise good health. 

I scattered birdseed at the Mumford Terminal  and in my backyard. I saw the rat and waited and watched for a sign that the birds had found the seed. Indeed they did. I look after all my little ones. It’s cold out and I worry about them. Food is scarce for my avian friends. 

I just watched the amazing movie Alien with a friend. I respect the exhausting effort that must have gone into making the movie. Yes art means effort. And that movie truly is amazing. I remember watching the sequel years ago. 

I donated my copy of Todd Keisling’s book to the library. Due to my negative experience with him, I saw no sense in keeping it. I only welcome positive energy here. 

It is spring in my apartment! If it can’t be spring outdoors, it will be so indoors. I’m growing a pot of basil and rosemary cutting and I have a pot of parsley. I set up my grow light kit where I am growing a number of herbs by seed. I have another pot with radishes and carrots germinating.  I hope they all grow well. I know the herbs will grow well in the grow light kit. I will post what I am starting by seed in the grow light kit soon once I find the list. I can’t remember right now. I keep watering the herbs a little, enough to moisten them but not drown them. 

I love herbs. I’m progressing nicely with the herbal courses at the Herbal Academy. I am on Unit 2 in Advanced and I am enjoying the Mastering Herbal Formulations course too. I recently reviewed the Becoming a Herbalist mini course that the Herbal Academy once again offered for free. Tomorrow I no longer have access to it and so I ensured I downloaded the pdf of the course. 

I have to work harder at composing the 15-20 monographs for the Advanced course. I hate distractions and I am my own worst enemy. The herbs and flowers are dormant now but soon spring will raise her green head. I cannot wait. It cheers me though I love the dark half of the year. I am a herbalist/ gardener by heart. I water the seedlings in the grow light kit the most because the soil dries out so fast. The green seedlings need moist soil. That is how they thrive. 

I am so grateful the Herbal Academy gives me so much time to complete the courses. I can study at a better pace that way. I never stop learning and I love everything I am learning. There is so much for me to learn. It is a truly fascinating subject!

 

Blessings, Spiderwitch )O(

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October 18, 2022 · 11:30 am

Root, bark & berry )O(

Merry meet all,

I just went out for a walk on the trail shown in the photo above. I love going for walks on the trail. I really feel the Samhain energy in the air. If you look hard at the above photo, you will see what I mean. 

This Samhain, I am once again – ok always, flying solo. I am a solitary Witch. I do everything I want to do by myself. I am not all that alone though. I can feel the presence of Spirit on the trail and in my garden. I have harvested a ton of herbs, roots and berries this fall. I leave offerings of cornmeal, coins or gemstones. I like to maintain a positive relationship with the spirits that dwell here. I never see the spirits but I feel them around, peering around the trees, watching me as I stroll down the trail. I recognized a couple of witch hazels. I love witch hazels! The witch hazel is so beautiful in my garden this fall!

I have harvested a lot of dandelion roots, burdock root, elderberries, lemon balm, lavender, sage, goldenrod, asters, wild chamomile, oak leaves for cauldron ash, and leaves for pressing. I plan to dip the leaves in beeswax to preserve them. I made a lovely jar of dark purple elderberry syrup, asters, goldenrod and wild chamomile for tea. I found several red clover buds outside. I can’t stop bringing a nature item home with me. 

I’m leaving an offering of cornmeal, milk and honey on Samhain eve. I like to do this ritual in my garden in the spring and fall. I harvested a few witch hazel seeds from my tree but I plan to scatter them out on the trail. Since we lost an elderberry shrub to Hurricane Fiona, I’m going to propagate the elderberries this winter from a few canes once it goes dormant. 

I like to work in harmony with the nature spirits. I am the only one in the neighborhood who does, but I am pretty sure I am the only witch around here. I am so lucky too because the herbs, roots and berries I need for the Herbal Academy all grow in abundance on the trail. They were there all along and now I finally recognize them. It saves me lots of money. This weekend, I also plan to finally harvest the elecampane root! I can’t wait. 

I hope you all had a wonderful harvest this fall. Let me know all about it. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

 

 

 

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September 12, 2022 · 12:07 pm

Autumn wonders

Merry meet all,

I am proud to announce I graduated from the Intermediate level at the Herbal Academy. I look forward to new challenges and learn about new ways to use herbs in the next level, Advanced. I am sure there will be many challenges ahead for me. Bring it on!

I found new  fun ways to use herbs this summer. I dyed a big pile of plain muslin cloth with goldenrod. The fabric dyed a beautiful muted gold/ yellow shade. I’m infusing garlic cloves and garden grown basil in vinegar. I made a potent rose petal elixir, I concocted a St.John’s wort tincture and two salves, and I plan to make a jar of elderberry syrup. I look forward to using my herbal potions and learning more about herbs at the Herbal Academy. This fall I have a grow light. I just transferred the herbs I began from seed and my root cuttings of mint, basil, rue, nettles calendula, thyme and dill. The thyme and dill are growing in a yogurt container so their deep roots have room to grow. The other herbs were transferred to a deeper pot. They are all growing under the grow light. I wonder how I ever managed without a grow light. Grow lights are awesome! I’m trying to grow root veggies too. I hope that goes well. 

I even used herbs on my witch’s broom. I know that cinnamon brooms can be bought online. Why not do it yourself? I coated the broom with glue and dabbed the ground cinnamon onto the broom then I sprinkled cinnamon essential oil. It has dried in a large clear plastic bag for two weeks. The broom that I also made myself smells lovely now. Argh I do believe I have been stung by the very nettle I just transplanted. I grew a big lovely pumpkin vine but no pumpkins. The bees love the male flower pollen but all their hard work is for naught. Every female pumpkin flower has turned brown, shrivelled and died. There are many male pumpkin flowers. The tomatoes are finally growing and the scarlet runner bean vines are flush with beans. I plan to harvest all the herbs from my garden soon and bring the rosemary and oregano in for the winter. 

I’m harvesting lovage which I did earlier and made a lovely jar of lovage salt! Lemon balm, lemon basil, lavender, calendula, mint, sage, borage leaves, chamomile, chives, raspberry leaves, astilbe seeds, elecampane seeds and roots, dandelion roots, cucumbers, shallots, kale ( may overwinter it). The nasturtiums are annuals. I will miss them, I find the leaves so tasty. I will be busy this fall harvesting roots, flowers and seeds!

Being near this abundance of nature sure saves me money for studying at the Herbal Academy. It’s expensive enough to purchase and store the herbs. I have to have enough jars and room to store the jars. I don’t have enough room so I just don’t splurge on a huge amount of herbs at once. I buy 5 grams or more at least and then I can just refill the labeled and dated jars in my apothecary. 

I have to make sure I downloaded all the PDFs for the Intermediate level at the Herbal Academy. I left a glowing testimonial on how much I enjoyed the fun yet mentally stimulating. Herbs have taken over my life. Maybe I should say this course has taken over my life. I find I don’t have much time to do all the other things I need to do, like get back into my writing horror fiction for one. I hope I can manage it all. 

The fall season is off to a great start. On top of that, Mabon and Samhain are not far away. I can’t wait. I look forward to hearing about how all of you readers are spending your fall season too. Comment below!

Blessings, Spiderwitch

 

 

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April 13, 2022 · 1:19 pm

Seeds of hope, flowers of glory )O(

Merry meet all,

Oh my goddess ! I have so many seedlings in my apartment I could fill a store up with them. I’m running out of room. I decided I would share tips on how I successfully began my seedlings in this post today. Grab a cuppa herbal tea and enjoy this post!!!

First, let’s begin with you figuring out what your intentions are. Do you want to grow lots of veggies to hold off on a possible food shortage? Do you want to grow a witch’s garden for teas and potions? Do you like a conventional garden of just flowers and herbs? Do you dare to grow some poisonous witch’s herbs? ( in which case, if so, research them first and please, PLEASE don’t plant them if kids and pets visit your garden. Or grow in pots indoors away from kids and pets- and wildlife and adults.)

Do you have the room and the budget and the time to devote to a garden? Once you have fully realized your intentions and answered the other questions, we can move to the next step. Growing the witchy herbs that you can harvest and enjoy all summer long. My intention is easy. I am studying herbalism and so I want to grow herbs that I can learn about at the Academy. I want to grow a lot of herbs to save money and not need to buy them at a local organic food store. I want to learn how to use these herbs medicinally and for my witchy path too. See how I did that?

Growing your own herbs helps you get to know the plants on a deeper level too. Herbs like mint, parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme and sage are good herbs  for healing and can be used in cooking. Yarrow, white, sage, nettles, mugwort are also witchy! Choose organic or heirloom seeds. Use good quality potting soil. Do use good soil. Don’t waste your money on low quality soil. The care you give the seeds and seedlings now pays off hugely in the future. Good quality soil encourages stronger root growth and helps you grow stronger plants and is affordable. The benefits you will receive of growing stronger plants outweights opting for cheap soil from a dollar store. Go with the strong seedlings and then you can choose which ones to thin out later.

Use a grow light or a big sunny window to grow your plants. I don’t own a grow light. I just arrange the pots at a window and sacrifice the space in my home until the frost passes. I water them frequently when the soil is dry. The trick is not to overwater the seedlings. Get a spray bottle to mist the plants. Don’t drown them or the roots will rot. 

So, now you know why you want to grow herbs, you have your grow lights and/ or a sunny window, your soil and your organic heirloom seeds. Now what? Here is the fun part and the hardest part- you have to have patience. Plant one or more seeds- just a few- in each starter pot. Label the pots to know what you planted where. That makes it easier on you unless you have an amazing memory. I can never remember. You can use popsicle sticks for labels. You can even draw sigils on them or witchy pentacles! Use your imagination!

If you have a plastic dome, cover the starter pots with the dome. This traps the moisture which seeds like to grow. You can empower the seed pots with your witchy intentions for them to grow strong. If you don’t have a dome, use saran wrap to cover the pots. Don’t layer it on to smother the plants. Leave an inch or two of space because that might kill the plants. Every so often, lift the saran wrap and let them get full sun. When they grow their true leaves, keep the dome or wrap off. Have lots of patience here. You get more life out of the green babies with tons of sweet talk and coaxing than using brute force. Trust me. Now is the time to cultivate a nurturing nature. I am not saying you would be cruel but gently guiding them and not getting angry if you don’t get the results you want is much better. Sometimes, plants just won’t grow for whatever reason.

When they outgrow the starter pots, you can gently tuck them into slightly bigger plant pots. That is the fun part! I love watching plants I began from seed grow into these beautiful herbs. I just love that, that and their scent. There are just so many amazing things about herbs.  I can’t list them all here but I know you know what I mean. 

The tips:

  • Remember, don’t over water them!
  • Keep the soil just moist.
  • Practice organic gardening methods.
  • Choose good quality soil and good starter pots. 
  • Be gentle and don’t use pesticides. You kill the beneficial insects. 
  • Trust that the herbs will grow into beautiful plants. Let go and let mama earth do what she do best. 

I can’t wait till the frost passes. I can’t wait to grow the white sage, sage, yarrow, kale, leeks, peppers, tomatoes, borage, anise, calendula, cucumbers, echinacea, dill, and lemon basil – all begun from seeds – outdoors. I cannot wait. I have saved scarlet runner beans, the seeds I have mentioned here and rue and yarrow seeds on order. I can’t wait to get growing! 

It is all predetermined in a single tiny seed. That seed can grow into a huge plant. Each seed contains the DNA of the plant. If that doesn’t amaze you, it sure amazes me. Some seeds have to be planted 1/4 inch under the soil and some need to be planted deeper into the soil. I go by the sizes of the seeds to determine that. Bigger seeds can go deeper into the starter pots. Seeds, like chamomile, are just spread over the surface of the soil. They are so tiny and fine. 

Here is the link to a company using organic methods and seeds: https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com. 

If you get dark, rainy weather like we do here in the Maritimes, then you can turn a lamp on and place it next to your plants. This helps them get maximum light. A grow light does help plants grow well. You can also use a fan to trick the plants into growing thicker stalks and stems. It mimics the wind. 

I hope the above tips and tricks inspire you to get growing your own amazing herbs! Blessings, 

Spiderwitch

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March 28, 2022 · 4:26 pm

Seeds of hope

 

Merry meet all,

I’m busy sprouting seeds. I have sprouted way too many seeds but this does mean that I get a better harvest come autumn. !! I have sprouted brandywine tomato, Scotch Bonnett peppers, kale, leeks, german chamomile, lavender, cucumber and purple echinacea. I can’t wait to grow them in my garden! I have too many starter seeds here. The more, the merrier. 

Tomorrow I plan to sign up for the Botanical artwork class at the Herbal Academy. I’m buying the sketchbook for the course too. I want to get the apothecary labels for bottles and jars too. I can’t print in color. I want to order rue and yarrow seeds. Yarrow is good for our health and rue is witchy and guards the home!! 

I also want to grow lemon basil, and start growing the witchy seeds I ordered months ago. Black cumin, howden pumpkin and vietnamese cilantro are just a few. It sounds so tasty! I have a few big starter pots sporting my tender seedlings. I don’t have enough starter pots for the seeds. I have successfully pre-germinated chamomile seeds on a damp paper towel in an old pet food bowl. It worked!! There are so many tiny chamomile seedlings I can’t even count them all. They will grow into the beautiful daisy like apple scented herb we all know and love. It is too exciting!

I sterilized a pot from the garden and washed it well. I use bleach to kill any possible insects/ insect eggs that may have hibernated in the pot over winter. Then once clean, I filled the pot with soil. The pot was 12 inches in diameter. I put pre-germinated parsley seeds, and added sage seeds, basil, dill, radish and carrot. Mmm I can just taste it. The pot sits on my kitchen counter. I just can’t wait for the seeds to germinate and fill the pot with their earthy goodness. I may move the pot out once the warm weather arrives. But for now, the pot is indoors. It is too cold yet. I want to plant  potatoes in a grow bag. I can start that in mid-April. I have to grow the tubers at my Mom’s to protect them from ravenous raccooons. The masked thieves just bite a potato then toss it. It’s wasted. Nope not this year. I will be ready for those bandits. 

I want to start nasturtium seeds early this year. If I wait till later in the summer, they will take forever to get growing. The time to start seeds is now. I have lovely scarlet runner beans in air dried brown pods. I plan to grow those this year too along with green beans and purple beans. The purple beans turn green when cooked! 

That is a good start to spring! Beginning a plant from seed saves you tons of money later. It can be expensive to buy lots of transplants. There is a time and place to transplants though. I do it too but later in the season when the perennials have filled the garden. I know what to plant and where I can plant. Put your intention into the seed starting! Happy planting!

 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

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